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Northern facing, clay

spurdog1spurdog1 Posts: 2
in Plants
Sorry, just found your forum. I am in need of some inspiration.  I am UK based. I need a Dymock inspiration please.

We have a fence that on one side faces north, and because its a "bland area (water butts alongside) I would love to put a couple of "statement plants".

We have clay soil so they would be best in large pots with some loam based soil (as the grass that was here before was full of moss). I envisage them as sentries, such as Olive "trees". The fence is the standard 6 foot in height. Also it would be nice to be colourful in winter, as the area may be quite bland by then.
This area currently has a washing line, but is surrounded by a small vegetable patch, in troughs. In the winter I could use these troughs for bedding plants such as winter pansies.

Also in mind is if damp and moss set in, we could pull the pots out.

Please, any inspiration most welcome. But not cost the earth.

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 14,323
    Olive trees are not really suited to shady areas, plus they are not fully hardy, so depending on where you live, they will need to go in a greenhouse over winter.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • B3B3 Posts: 26,414
    Why fight the natural conditions? Choose something that will be happy in that position.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • spurdog1spurdog1 Posts: 2
    Punkdoc, thanks for the comment, though I am only trying to suggest something in the directions of Olives as a sentry, not to be specific on olives, but what other "alternative to olives" is there.
    B3 Hopefully this helps your info. We are not fighting it, but know it does not work, and am searching for "all suggestions", including natural choices for clay. But throwing the door open.
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